KLIX Case Study - Vending Machines Manchester

Metropolitan Drinks Company

Fueling The Metropolitan Drinks Company to deliver a profitable 4% increase in productivity.

“Metropolitan Drinks is a fast growing and ambitious company. When we put the hot drinks requirement out to competitive tender, it was clear that Mars Drinks were keen to understand Metropolitan Drinks: what we do day-to-day, our customers, our employees, the challenges and the overall requirements. From the first meeting, discussions focused on how Mars Drinks could
support Metropolitan Drinks’ growth targets by providing an overall solution that also had the potential to boost the company’s productivity."

Jim Dakin, Managing Director Metropolitan Drinks Company, Manchester

Dedicated suppliers to the licensed trade, Metropolitan Drinks is a busy workplace with over 100 deliveries dispatched daily, 7 days a week. Maintaining peak performance and high levels of staff productivity are of key importance to the company’s management due to its direct impact on the business’s productivity and consequential profitability.

Every operational aspect of Metropolitan Drinks comes under regular scrutiny in order to ensure that the company is performing to the best possible level. Therefore staff breaks came into focus to ensure that not only were employees provided with the drinks they wanted but also that drinks provision was made in a way which would support efficiency.

This review demonstrated that the kettle facility being used resulted in a number of problems for Metropolitan Drinks. Firstly, making a round of drinks for a team was a lengthy process encouraging staff to linger and chat, resulting in regular disruption and loss of focus. This had a negative impact on the company’s productivity. Secondly, the resultant mess around the kettle made the kitchen area a continual project to keep clean. In addition, a staff member would have to regularly take time out of their schedule to stock up on loose ingredients such as milk, tea, instant coffee and sugar.

Driven by its customers’ deadlines and requirements, it was clear that a solution was required to solve each of these issues. With a solution that would deliver great-tasting, quality drinks from trusted brands that the staff recognised.

Mars Drinks was invited in to propose a
credible and complete solution that met the business’s requirements

The KLIX vending machine, now installed at Metropolitan Drinks for over two years, has put a stop to the unnecessary and highly disruptive down-time that a kettle promoted.

Working with Mars Drinks, Jim Dakin was
impressed with the increased profitability potential that a vending solution would provide
by delivering staff quick, quality hot drinks every time. The KLIX vending machine, now installed at Metropolitan Drinks for over two years, has put a stop to the unnecessary and highly disruptive down-time that a kettle promoted.

In addition the flexible drinks menu, which can be tailored to any seasonal requirements, was perfectly suited to the company. Since its installation KLIX has delivered 100% reliability providing drinks 24/7 without a single technical issue.

The issues of mess and downtime to source ingredients have disappeared: the machine is
filled up with fresh drinks options every two weeks and is simply a two minute job. Issues with ingredients’ stock control disappeared over-night as the ingredients are pre-measured in the KLIX cup so that just the right amount is used.

Since selecting the KLIX OUTLOOK™ over
two years ago and vending almost 600 drinks per week, the Metropolitan Drinks Company’s
productivity has increased by 4.1%. KLIX’s reliability and constant quality has fuelled the
company’s loyal workforce to deliver leading-edge productivity and efficiency.